In this episode we sit down with the founder of Simpli, Sarela Herrada, to talk about what is really happening behind our food system and why so many labels are misleading. She shares the moment she realized the system was broken and what she learned firsthand from working with farmers. We break down what regenerative farming actually means and why organic alone may not be enough anymore. We also talk about how much trust we should place in food labels today and how consumers can use their buying power to create real change. The conversation covers the biggest myths around clean food, common pantry mistakes, and the one food she always buys organic. She also shares what she would never feed her own kids and the one simple change every mom can make today to improve her family’s health.

Notes
1:30 when she realized the food system was broken
5:30 What she learned from working with farmers
6:30 How do you explain regenerative farming
10:30 is organic label not enough anymore
12:01 do you trust what is on the food labels today
14:00 use your buying power to make a difference
16:20 What is the biggest lie consumers are being told about clean food
17:30 one food you would always buy organic
19:50 What is the biggest pantry mistake moms make
23:00 one thing you would never feed your kids
28:00 If every mom listening could change just one thing today to improve their family health what would it be

Links:

Shop:

https://eatsimpli.com/collections/beans-legumes

Recipes:

https://eatsimpli.com/pages/blog

This week’s episode dives into the hidden role plastics play in our food, especially when eating out. With most meals now prepared outside the home, we explore what that means for our daily exposure and why this topic is often overlooked in culinary training. We also get a look into her personal kitchen habits, the ingredients she swears by, and what she avoids completely. From restaurant oils to easy healthy meals, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways for anyone looking to reduce their toxic load.

Plastics in Restaurants

1:28 – Why is this so important, and what are we missing about plastic in our food?
5:00 – What is not taught in culinary school about the dangers of plastic
7:00 – Almost 60% of meals are eaten outside the home, meaning more than half of what we eat is prepared elsewhere. What does that mean for our plastic exposure?
11:30 – Her background and how she got into this work
15:30 – What is the first place you would remove plastic in a home kitchen?
18:00 – Her most underrated ingredient
19:00 – What is one thing she would never feed her son?
23:00 – Her easiest, go-to healthy meal
25:00 – A look at what oils are being used in even the best restaurants
32:00 – If someone walks into your restaurant and leaves feeling different, what do you hope they feel?

This week we’re talking all about tantrums and what’s really going on beneath them. We start with a few life updates including making our own cream-top coffee at home (and the cups we love from Elk & Friends) and Emily’s latest obsession with Dubai chocolate. Then we dive into a real-life parenting moment when Natasha helped a friend navigate her four-year-old’s meltdown and what it revealed about how kids process big emotions.

From there, we break down practical ways to prevent tantrums before they start including preparing the night before, recognizing that different kids need different approaches, and how to handle older kids who may show their frustration through defiance. We also talk about the surprising lessons these moments teach us about ourselves as parents, the importance of modeling how to calm our own bodies, and how the environment in a child’s bedroom can actually influence behavior and emotional regulation.

Links:

Dubai chocolates - https://amzn.to/4lzsQ8Q

Irish soda bread  - https://www.wowbakesla.com/shop/8o9q3co15z1lo26fgizex9vyg0yurd

1:00- Making our own cream top coffee and elk and friends cups 

1:30 - Emily enjoying dubai chocolates 

3:00- 4 year old tantrum and how Natasha walked her friend thru her daughters tantrums 

7:00 - Preparing the night before to prevent tantrums 

13:00- Different kids - different approaches 

16:00 - Helping older kids who are defiant 

17:00- What we learned about ourselves in these teaching moments with our kids 

18:00- Modeling ways to calm our bodies 

22:00 - setting up the kids room to help prevent tantrums 

23:00- How a kids bedroom impacts their behavior 

In this quick episode, we’re recapping our time at Expo West, the biggest natural products show of the year. While we always remind people that packaged foods shouldn’t make up the bulk of your diet, Expo is a fascinating window into where the food industry is heading.

We share the biggest trends we noticed across the show floor, including the continued explosion of protein-packed snacks. We talk about some of the protein granolas that caught our attention, the growing category of creative hot sauces, and a few dips that we couldn’t stop going back for.

We also highlight some standout products like pistachio butter, a crunchy new quinoa snack, and even some interesting innovations in maple syrup.

It’s a quick tour through the booths, flavors, and trends that had everyone talking at Expo West.

0:44- Not encouraging people to eat packaged food 

1:15 - Trends at Expo West 

2:25 - Protein Granola 

3:25- Hot Sauces 

3:30 - Dips we loved 

4:40 - Pistachio Butter 

5:30 - Quinoa Wow 

6:30 - Maple Syrup 

Peptides with Dr. Vodjani (And the Truth About Collagen, Estrogen, Mold and More) — PART 2

In Part 2, Dr. Vodjani breaks down the rising popularity of peptides: what they are, who they’re for, and why they’re not a cure-all. We also cover hair growth, collagen, colostrum, hormone imbalances (including stubborn high estrogen), mold and mycotoxin testing, and when to consider nutrient and gut health testing for kids. This episode is a practical deep dive into what’s hype versus what’s actually helpful in functional medicine.

Topics covered:

Peptides in Functional Medicine


What are peptides, and how are they being used in functional medicine today?

Before Starting Peptides


What should people understand before beginning peptide therapy?

The “Cure-All” Hype


Are peptides being overpromoted as a magic solution?

Peptides for Weight Loss & Skin


The truth about peptides for weight loss, wrinkles, and skin concerns.

Peptides & Skin Tissue Repair


How peptides may support tissue healing and skin integrity.

Over-the-Counter Skincare with Peptides


Do topical peptide products actually work?

Hair Growth


What truly works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to hair growth?

Collagen Powders


Dr. Vodjani’s take on collagen supplementation.

Colostrum

Is colostrum worth the hype? Who might benefit?

High Estrogen Despite a “Healthy” Lifestyle


If someone lives an 80/20 healthy lifestyle but still has high estrogen, what could be contributing?

Mold & Mycotoxins


Are blood tests for mycotoxins reliable? What should people know about mold exposure?

Testing Kids’ Nutrient Levels & Gut Health


What are the best ages to test children for nutrient deficiencies and gut imbalances?

In Part One with Dr. Vojdani, Natasha shares her personal experience

In this episode, we dive into the “9-year-old sass” phase — what’s actually happening developmentally and how parents can respond without shaming, escalating, or losing connection.

Around age nine, kids are stretching into independence. They’re testing tone, experimenting with power, and beginning to see the world (and you) through a more critical lens. Eye rolls, dramatic exaggerations, and talking back aren’t signs you’ve failed — they’re signs your child is growing.

We talk about why regulating yourself first is the most important step before responding, and how to hold firm boundaries without falling into either permissiveness or shame. This isn’t about “gentle parenting” versus discipline — it’s about calm leadership

Links:

Immunity tea from Rowe Casa (Use Discount code DRORGANICMOMMY)

https://www.rowecasaorganics.com/products/immunity-herbal-tea?sca_ref=10410646.exGF0cdNwZoXh1M0

Tallow Body Wash Discount code - DRORGANICMOMMY

https://localrevival.co/products/tallow-honey-bodywash

Pique Tea Vespers 

http://piquelife.com/organicmommy 

1:00 – Millennial Find of the Week
3:29 – Sass and 9-year-olds
4:00 – Understanding what’s going on at 9 years old
4:50 – Regulating yourself before responding
8:49 – What to do when they roll their eyes
11:00 – Gentle parenting vs. holding boundaries
13:00 – Not shaming them
13:47 – How to deal with the talking back
15:50 – How to deal with the overdramatic exaggerations
17:00 – Natasha shares a story to explain how she handled it
19:00 – How to respond to 9-year-old dramatics
22:00 – Ways to create extra connection with your 9-year-olds

This week we cover everything from millennial identity and favorite finds to fragrance exposure and hormone health plus a big parenting deep dive. We answer listener questions on celery powder in bacon, navigating unkind or violent language picked up at school, and screen habits that actually support kids’ development. We also talk about Natasha's thoughts on shows like Bluey, why repetition is beneficial, why fast-forwarding is a no in our house, and why TV is often a better choice than iPads. A practical conversation about modern parenting, health, and raising thoughtful kids in a noisy world.

Timecodes

1:00 – Are we actually millennials?

We kick things off debating whether we technically qualify as millennials, Xennials, or something in between

2:00 – Millennial Find of the Week: Natasha’s pick is a body soap she’s loving right now & Emily’s pick is a scarf she’s wearing on repeat

4:00 – Fragrance + hormone disruption: Natasha jokes that she wants a button that says: “Ask me about how fragrances are endocrine disruptors.”

5:00 – Listener Q&A: celery powder + bacon

6:51 – Kids picking up violent or unkind language at school: A listener asks what to do when a preschooler comes home repeating violent phrases—or words like “stupid” and “idiot”—learned from other kids.

8:33 – Thoughts on Bluey: Our honest take on the show 

10:00 – Why repeating the same episode is actually good: Why kids benefit from watching the same show over and over, and how repetition supports emotional regulation and learning.

11:25 – Why Natasha doesn’t allow fast-forwarding

14:15 – iPad vs TV

Links:

Local Revival Soap https://go.shopmy.us/p-41527922

Emily’s Scarf  - https://go.shopmy.us/p-41530295

In this episode, we talk about exhaustion by association. The mental load of parenting while constantly reassessing what we think we know. Natasha shares her experience navigating viral induced asthma, why new research has changed her approach to hygiene, and the surprising results of a microplastics study she is participating in. We discuss why reducing exposure matters, how behavior changes can actually move the needle, and why owning mistakes is part of good parenting and good health.

Timecodes:

1:00 -Millennial find of the week and please excuse our tween humor

2:00 - Natasha shares what it has been like managing viral induced asthma and navigating illness as a parent

4:30 -Why Natasha may be switching from hand washing to Purell
A conversation on updated research around alcohol based sanitizers and what actually kills viruses

6:30 - Why rinsing with salt water matters and when she uses it

8:30 -Natasha shares a surprising personal update: Zero microplastics found in her system and what that means + discussion of ongoing research on microplastics nanoplastics PFAS and exposure reduction

This week’s episode is a quick but informative one. We start by catching up and sharing our Millennial Must-Haves of the week, including sleep-friendly ear plugs, non-toxic men’s t-shirts, favorite shorts, and workout clothes.

The main focus of the episode is eggs. We break down the Vital Farms controversy, explain what to look for when buying eggs, and share how to source the best options for your family. We also talk about how eggs support collagen intake and why they’re such a powerful, affordable food to include regularly.

Short, practical, and packed with helpful takeaways.

Links (as mentioned in the episode)

Ear plugs like earrings: https://amzn.to/4pX5878

Voterra t-shirts: https://vottera.com/products/regenerative-organic-cotton-t-shirts-for-men

Ryker shorts: https://rykerclothingco.com/products/the-apex-short-master?variant=50147749822786

Natasha’s favorite eggs: https://nourishfoodclub.com

Red Hen app: https://www.redhenapp.com

Timecodes:

1:00 – Catching Up

Quick life updates and what’s been going on lately in both homes.

2:00 – Millennial Must-Haves of the Week

This week’s finds that are actually being used and loved:

• Ear plugs that look like earrings and are comfortable for sleeping

• Non-toxic, regenerative organic cotton t-shirts for men

• Men’s shorts we’ve been loving lately

• Favorite workout clothes for women

8:19 – Talking All About Eggs

• Why eggs are such an important staple in our homes

• Breaking down the recent Vital Farms controversy

• What labels actually mean and which ones matter

• How to find the best quality eggs available to you

• Why sourcing and farming practices make a difference

17:00 – How to Get Collagen From Eggs

• How eggs naturally support collagen intake

• Which parts of the egg matter most

• Simple ways to incorporate them regularly